


Spooked

by honestgrins



Series: Bingo! [16]
Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: F/M, klaroween, klaroween bingo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-21
Updated: 2018-10-21
Packaged: 2019-08-05 14:05:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16369028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/honestgrins/pseuds/honestgrins
Summary: Kat might have talked her into a Tinder dating spree to get over her breakup, but Caroline didn't expect her rebound effort to be haunted by the ex in question. (For Klaroween Bingo: Speed Dating in Costumes)





	Spooked

"Hello, Caroline."

She nearly drops her phone in surprise, glowering as Klaus slides into the booth. "You're not my date," she snaps. Katherine and Elijah are looking far too innocent at the bar, and she spares a glare for them as well. She should have known Kat's plan was far too generous, it had to backfire at some point - that point being when her ex-boyfriend shows up. "What are you doing here?"

His smirk melts into a smile as she crosses her arms in frustration. "I may have overheard my sister-in-law lamenting your single state and conspiring to...alleviate that." Nose scrunched, Caroline hated that even his grimace was cute. "It seemed obvious to throw my hat in the ring."

"I-" She breaks off, sending a confused look to Kat who pointedly turned the other way. "I don't understand."

It makes absolutely no sense to her how earnest he seems just to be sitting across the table from her, not when he was the one to break up with her just a month earlier. To be honest, she only let Kat talk her into a Halloween Tinder date spree to ensure a date for the Christmas party her friend hosted, the one where Elijah's family was all sure to be invited. If Caroline had to be a dumpee, then she would at least do everything she could to move on quickly. Bringing a new guy for her to rub in Klaus's face was an added bonus, though she'd rather avoid the embarrassing reunion altogether. 

Hence why she was surprised to find him eagerly counted among her potential suitors. "You're not wearing a costume," she says instead, feeling more confident on themed parties than their failed relationship. The bar had promised no cover charge for anyone in costume, and she (with Kat's help) encouraged her dates to participate. It seemed like a good litmus test for personality at the time. In his usual Henley and jeans, Klaus wasn't making much of a showing.

He shrugged, eyeing the unicorn headband and rainbow tutu she wore. "I still have the one you picked out, but it didn't seem right to wear without you."

"Without me dressing like Vanna, your Pat Sajak does kind of look like just a guy in a suit." At least the gorgeous gown she'd bought wouldn't go to waste; her work parties liked to err on the side of fancy. "And you don't exactly have the right attitude for a game show host."

Klaus looks like he wants to argue the point, but swallows his rebuttal in favor of a wan smile. "That's partly why I came," he admits. His ears flush at her arched eyebrow. "I made a mistake, Caroline, one I hope to rectify."

She waits until he nearly squirms in discomfort at her uncharacteristically long silence. Klaus was so annoyingly at ease at all times, even when he had calmly explained that his idea of the future didn't match up with her expectations of marriage and building a life together, so it was best if they went their own ways before they could reach that breaking point. It felt good to have the upper hand since that horrible lunch, and Caroline decides to wait him out a bit longer before she deigns to answer. "What mistake did you make?"

That flush radiates down to his cheeks, and Caroline feels giddy. Klaus _never_  blushed. "Elijah has no shortage of opinions or brotherly advice," he explains with halting confidence. "Over a drink or six, he pointed out the short-sighted nature of my reasoning behind the decision to-"

"Break my heart? Tell me, 'thanks but no thanks on the whole love thing'? Oh, I know! Pretty much say I'm not worth keeping around."

Klaus winces. "That wasn't my intention, love-"

Bristling, Caroline throws a finger up. "Don't call me that."

"Caroline," he amends in an understanding tone, "it wasn't that I didn't want you. You are beautiful, spirited, and I loved - love - you more than I ever thought possible."

"So, you broke up with me?" Caroline glances back to Kat, this time meeting her friend's imploring gaze with an irritated one of her own. "Klaus, that's ridiculous."

"So Elijah said," Klaus agrees with a downtrodden nod. "But Katherine was prodding me to research engagement rings, and Kol kept making bachelor jokes - I was skittish at the idea, to say the least."

Sighing, Caroline feels her righteous indignation loosen into a deep disappointment. "You could have talked to me about it before you broke...everything."

"I know, I should have." Klaus reaches for her across the table, but they're interrupted before he can grasp her hand.

"Caroline?"

They both turn to see a guy wearing a full-on Joker costume, green hair and all, looking expectantly at her. Caroline blinks, realizing he's expecting a confirmation. "Umm, I-" She's frazzled, unsure what to do; it's hard to think about getting over Klaus when he's right there, offering to fix what went wrong. "I don't-"

"Sorry, mate," Klaus answers instead. "I think there was a Caroline at the next table, but she left."

As the now flustered guy ducks away from the booth, a part of her wants to scold Klaus for dismissing him. "It's rude to cockblock a rebound," she says, testing him.

All too aware, Klaus smirks. "I'd apologize, sweetheart, but we both know I'm not sorry. Did you happen to meet any winners tonight?"

Her shoulders sag. "There was a Mario 'looking for his Princess Peach' and a medical student totally cheating by wearing scrubs. But I bet they wouldn't break up with me because they like me too much to marry me."

"Marriage is-" Klaus bites his lip while he considers the right phrasing to use. "I didn't exactly grow up in a wonderful home with a loving couple. Failing you by becoming...them? It would be worse than the tears you tried to hide over lunch that day. Or, that's what I thought."

Caroline narrows her eyes. "And?"

"I was wrong."

Those traitorous tears fill her eyes again, and she does her best to keep them from falling. "Okay. Thanks, then. For that and ruining my dates."

Klaus did grasp her hands at that point, his thumb tracing the skin like he'd forgotten how it felt. She kind of hoped he did; it'd serve him right. "Please, Caroline. I want another chance."

Rolling her eyes, Caroline discreetly wipes the mascara under one and winces at the rainbow glitter of her eyeshadow that covered her finger. "You didn't ghost me, Klaus, with an ending left unfinished. You broke up with me, in a conversation where you calmly destroyed our relationship and the trust I thought it was built on."

"Take a chance," he says in a low voice. "I won't let you regret it."

She looks around the bar, where people were getting sloppy drunk and costumes started falling askew. Elijah was very sternly holding Kat's attention, and Caroline finally turns back to Klaus who's waiting for his sentence from her. God, those dimples were somehow cuter in his hopeful face. A unicorn could do worse than allow an ex to grovel his way back into her heart. "I have one more date lined up for tonight," she warns, feeling light with a little hope herself. "You have an hour to convince me to turn him away, too."

A smile spreads across Klaus's face, and he threads his fingers through hers. "Consider it done."


End file.
